<p>Based on ucan-network.org the average 4 year grad rate at the other Patriot League schools is over 84%. American is 20% less than the average (assuming the stats are correct).
This seems very low. Does anyone have any insight as to why (can’t get required classes, etc)?</p>
<p>The AU data is dated–that appears to be the 4-year graduation rate for the class entering in the fall of 2000. For the class entering in the fall of 2003, the rate is 70.7%; see <a href=“http://www.american.edu/academic.depts/provost/oir/PDF/07_table34.pdf[/url]”>http://www.american.edu/academic.depts/provost/oir/PDF/07_table34.pdf</a>. This is still less than the 84% you cite for other Patriot League schools (interesting peer group, by the way); I can’t explain the difference. Perhaps others have insight.</p>
<p>pswillia, look likes the trend is positive and thanks for the reply. I used Patriot League schools as peers, since American is now in the Patriot League. If you want to play with “the big boys”, you need to take care of the academics before the sports teams; the rest of the league seems to.
Hopefully AU continues the positive trend.</p>
<p>Could it possibly be because there are several 5 year B.A/MA programs offered at AU? </p>
<p>I know I won’t be graduating in 4 years because I am doing a program like that.</p>
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<p>That would definitely contribute.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this is factored in, but AU has quite a few people transfer out after freshman year (like 14-16% of the class). So if those people were counted as people who never graduated, the upper limit of percentage of people graduating in 4 years would be around 84-86%. </p>
<p>Other schools in the Patriot League only lose like 4-6% of their freshman class to transferring, meaning if factored in to the graduation rate statistic, they could still concievably boast a 95% graduation rate.</p>